The Building and Zoning Appeals panel voted to send a favorable recommendation to the town council on a special exception that would allow Solstice Coffee to operate a single‑lane drive‑thru at 8126 Wicker Avenue in the US 41 Overlay District.

Attorney Adam Swarden of Swarden Law, PC, representing owner George Gutierrez, told the board the site is the existing Solstice Cafe and the proposal is to add a drive‑thru. "This is the current Solstice Cafe... what they're looking at doing is coming in and adding a drive through at this location," Swarden said, describing restriping, circulation changes and engineering updates the team has made in response to comments.

Staff noted that restaurant use is allowed but a drive‑thru triggers a special exception in the C‑2 and US 41 Overlay Districts. The applicant said state plan review returned one required change — an additional toilet facility for the first‑floor space — and that the design accommodates it.

Board members focused questions on adjacent uses and circulation, asking whether living quarters remain above the building and whether drive‑thru stacking could block access to the neighboring storage facility. The applicant confirmed the upstairs is proposed to be offices and there are no tenants who would have to exit into the drive lane. On access concerns, Swarden said gates and curb cuts were identified and "we're going to... adjust to make sure that there's plenty of entry and exit way without encroaching into the property."

After no public comments were offered, a motion to send a favorable recommendation to the town council passed by voice vote with a 4‑0 tally.

What happens next: The board's recommendation will be forwarded to the town council for a final decision on whether to authorize the special exception and allow the drive‑thru at the Solstice Coffee location.